Peoria police chief announces retirement

Peoria Police Chief Roy Minter announced his retirement from the department on Wednesday, marking an end to his seven years of service to the city.

In a statement, the Peoria Police Department said Minter "transformed the department into a highly professional, community-oriented agency," adding that Minter received gold-standard accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

Minter will remain in his position until a new chief is hired, which is expected to take from four to six months, the Police Department said.

During his tenure, Minter also implemented new technology, such as body cameras, into the Peoria police force and enhanced the community's policing programs and partnerships, the department said.

"Chief Minter has truly left a mark on not just Peoria, but many Valley cities," Peoria City Manager Jeff Tyne said. "His leadership has been instrumental in modernizing Peoria's policing efforts."

Minter has more than 30 years of public-safety experience, previously serving as police chief in Denton, Texas, police commander in Aurora, Colorado, and as a police officer in Houston, the department said.